Thirsty

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JESUS SPEAKING

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7: 37 – 39)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Within every human being there is a void that only God can fill. All those who thirst for the truth are drawn to Christ, and the Holy Spirit is poured out into the hearts of those who believe. We read that out of them, “will flow rivers of living water.” Once the heart is full, the Spirit will continue to overflow and pour into the hearts of others. Thus being filled is not enough, we must also overflow.

Recently, at a bible study a man discussed his fear of eventually becoming stagnant in his faith. I responded by explaining how to avoid stagnation. I told him that the Dead Sea in Israel is dead because it has no outlet. The Jordan river flows into the Dead Sea; a body of water positioned at one of the lowest elevations on earth. With no outlets, the water can only escape through evaporation; leaving behind salt, which has accumulated over time. This contamination has rendered the sea unfit for most living creatures. Without any overflow, there is only death.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Holy Spirit spills into the hearts of those who believe, but it doesn’t remain stagnant. Instead, it overflows, pouring outward into the lives of others. We are therefore vessels through which the Holy Spirit can move. May we offer ourselves to Your service Lord, as You draw in all those who are thirsty.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to be used to accomplish Your will. Fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, that others may come to know Your salvation through faith. You Truly are an awesome and amazing God. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

Mimicking God

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JESUS SPEAKING

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” (John 5: 19 – 23)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

In this scripture, Jesus proclaims that whatever He sees the Father doing, He also does, “in like manner.” Thus His life is a perfect reflection of God’s will in every situation. Those who desire to accomplish God’s will more perfectly, must seek to implement Christ’s teachings and to mimic His behaviors.

Although being a parent is a blessing, it is certainly not without difficulty. As parents we are tasked with teaching our children how to behave. Despite everything we might communicate to our children through words, they will inevitably learn more from observing our behaviors than they will from any book, television show, or video. And so if we want our children to grow up as Christians, we too must mimic Jesus Christ. When we live and walk as believers, our children will also.

As the only Son of God, Jesus never once sinned; nor did He succumb to any temptation; but rather, He accomplished God’s perfect will in every situation. Whatever He saw God doing, He also did Himself. Our duty today as Christians is to mimic Christ and to implement His teachings in every area of our lives. And if we do have children, then they will see Christ in us and strive to follow Him.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to live our lives devoid of sin and in perfect unity with Your will. Please convict our hearts and give us the discernment and the strength to be a reflection of Your Son. While we walk as Christians, may others see Jesus working in us and through us; and may they be drawn to Him. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

The Proof of Faith

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JESUS SPEAKING

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34 – 33)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Before being betrayed and crucified, Jesus left His disciples with a new commandment; to love one another. In fact, according to Jesus, this manifestation of affection between believers proves the genuineness of an individual’s faith. And so this shared tenderness reveals to the world that we belong to Jesus Christ.

Concerning the discernment of authentic love, we read of an account in the old testament when two women were brought before king Solomon to settle a dispute. Both women were living in the same house, and both had given birth to newborn baby boys. At some point, one of the children was laid upon and died in the night. The first woman claimed that as she slept the other woman switched the babies, so that in the morning when she awoke she discovered the dead child laying in her bosom. She knew immediately that the child was not her baby. With both women claiming ownership of the child, Solomon devised a simple test to discover who the actual mother was. We read, ‘Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.”‘ In response, one of the mothers was filled with compassion and responded saying, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” (The other mother didn’t seek to stop the execution.) Only one woman was willing to relinquish ownership so that the child would live. This affection for the child proved who the real mother was. We read, ‘So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”

In much the same way, there is a simple test which can be used to identify genuine followers of Jesus Christ. Only those who truly love their brothers and sisters in the Lord are faithful followers. May we treat our fellow Christians with a special measure of affection, as a testimony of our faith to the world.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to love our fellow Christians with great enthusiasm and affection. Give us that hunger as we seek to serve other believers with “gladness and singleness of heart.” We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!